ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chair — a leader
  3. spring — the season
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. swing — music
  7. firm — steady
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. firm — decided
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — to play on
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. firm — a company
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pass — a permit
  17. court — for sport
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. court — of law
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. court — of a king
  22. spring — of water
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. spring — a coil

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com